Nick J. Thierry
Editor / Publisher

This is the issue where we cover the major international competitions of the summer season as well as the Canada Games.

It has taken extra time to assemble all this information. Consequently, we are going to print almost at the end of September. So when you receive this in early October, you will know why.

The Pan Pacifics were covered by Paul Quinlan, our Australian correspondent. Pictures were provided by Darren Braybrook from the Australian SPORT The Library photo agency, as well as freelancer Matthew Strand, an Aussie based in Japan. The poor lighting conditions didn't allow for too many good action shots.

The SWIMNEWS team of Nick Thierry, Marco Chiesa, and Karin Helmstaedt covered the European Championships, held in Sevilla, Spain, outdoors, in ideal conditions.

We were brought to Sevilla by the Organizing Committee. Marco was the chief photographer for the championships, which is not as grand a position as it sounds. He was in charge of assigning positions to just under 100 professional photographers, all clamouring for the very best positions. Marco, being a Canadian, and not from one of the competing nations, had to settle all disputes. He also toiled countless hours in preparing the Championships internet web site, which was linked to the SWIMNEWS site.

I prepared start lists with stats and bios on the finalists. These were well received by the media, especially TV commentators, saving them the trouble of digging up this information.

We had to put up with missing luggage, a failed computer, heat and humidity, but the excitement of the competition and the great performances made up for all the moments of stress and frustration.

Katharine Dunn covered the Canada Games. Her story starts on page 31, and we hope our readers will appreciate the effort she made in getting there and getting in to watch the competition. Not easy, as there was little room in the pool, and Brandon was not exactly easy to get to-a long drive from Winnipeg, where there was limited accommodation.

Cecil Colwin tackles amateurism, and how after decades of rigid enforcement, it seemingly vanished overnight, with rampant commercialization now the order of the day.

TAG times include all competitions from the summer, including some U.S. meets where Canadians competed, including the Far Westerns.

October will be the final issue for 1997. Watch for 50 deep TAG times, including 18 & olders.